Packs of stray dogs active in Magh Mela area are troubling the pilgrims and Kalpwasis alike. These stray dogs have bitten as many as 388 people since the 44-day annual religious fair began on January 6, show data.
As per these records, on an average 17 people are falling prey to such stray dog attacks every day. Affected pilgrims rush to get anti-rabies vaccine shots at Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital and Colvin Hospital in the city area apart from the two temporary hospitals set up in the mela area itself.
The stray dogs from nearby localities of Daraganj, Jhunsi, Nagvasuki temple area and even Chhatnag have come to the mela area to make most of the leftover from the numerous kitchens running in hundreds of camps and ‘Annkshetras’ (feeding areas) offering meals to pilgrims and seers alike.
These stray dogs attack Kalpawasis, pilgrims and other visitors, especially when their rush increases in run-up to major bathing festivals. Superintendent of the two main hospitals established in the mela area namely Dr Atul Kumar Srivastava of Ganga Hospital and Dr Ankita Pandey of Triveni Hospital confirm receiving multiple cases of dog bites every day.
“We are getting dog bite cases every day and have administered anti-rabies vaccines to 66 people so far since the start of the fair,” said Dr Ankita Pandey, superintendent of Triveni Hospital. Dr Atul Kumar Srivastava, superintendent of Ganga Hospital, said his hospital too has received 52 cases of dog bites since January 6 when the fair formally started.
Dr Pankaj Jaiswal, a physician at Colvin Divisional Hospital who oversees administering of anti-rabies vaccines (ARVs), and Mayank Tripathi, the senior pharmacist who administered the ARVs at Beli Hospital, both say the bulk of dog bites cases arriving at their hospitals are form mela area these days amounting for around 60% of the total cases.
Sanitation in-charge, Magh Mela, Dr Anand Singh also conceded that incidents of stray dog bites had increased in the mela area. He said in coordination with the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation, efforts would be made to catch stray dogs roaming in the mela area on priority.
